Kansas City

The Kansas City Chiefs deserve a lot of credit for getting off to a 9-0 start after finishing last season with an NFL-worst record of 2-14. However, they did not invent the U-turn. Although it isn't a common occurrence, several teams have made dramatic one-season turnarounds, sometimes coming out of nowhere to stun the pro football world. Indianapolis did that last season with then-rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, going from 2-14 in 2011 to 11-5 and a playoff berth. The 2008 Miami Dolphins went 11-5, a year after a 1-5 disaster.

Tevrin Brandon's long, strange trip from Bethlehem Catholic to Connecticut to Monmouth to Kansas City after a canceled journey to Denver is still in progress. The Monmouth University senior cornerback reached an agreement on Saturday night with the Chiefs after not being selected in the 2014 NFL Draft. That was only after the Denver Broncos had first made an offer, then reneged, according to a text message. Brandon and agent Sean Stellato did not return follow-up telephone calls on Sunday.

It is now late Tuesday night and we are back from a full day in Kansas City, and the darn song is still in my head. You know the one: I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come They got a crazy way of loving there And I'm gonna get me some. This was Day 6 of our "Ultimate Road Trip" with the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club and it's hard to believe we're already in the final days. Just one more day here before we start the trek back home.

The Sikh community of Lehigh Valley is deeply grieved by the news of the fatal shootings at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and the Village Shalom senior living facility. We offer our sincere condolences to the victims' families. This senseless killing, singling out Americans at Jewish community organizations, opens up the wounds of the brutal killing of the innocent worshippers at a Sikh Gurdawara in Oak Creek, Wisc., last August. In America, no one has the right to hurt others just because of their faith.

Former Dieruff High, Kutztown University and Buffalo Bills star Andre Reed will join the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff in training camp after accepting a Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship position. Reed, who has been a Hall of Fame finalist for the last seven years. confirmed the news on The NFL Network on Saturday. In Kansas City, Reed will be on the staff headed by former Eagles coach Andy Reid, who is starting his first season with the Chiefs after being fired by the Eagles after 14 seasons.

A Missouri man was committed to Northampton County Prison Wednesday afternoon as a fugitive from justice in his home state. Dennis E. Laughlin, 44, of Kansas City is wanted in Kansas City on felony nonsupport charges, according to court records. He was arraigned before District Justice Sandra Zemgulis of Easton and committed to prison without bail to await extradition. Laughlin was arrested by state police after a traffic stop on Interstate 78.

The Buffalo Bills didn't appear to need their first-stringers when they toyed with the Kansas City Chiefs 37-14 yesterday in the American Football Conference divisional playoffs. Allowing quarterback Jim Kelly to throw three touchdown passes in the first half overkilled the Chiefs, who lost quarterback Steve DeBerg to a sprained thumb but were lost with him anyway. The Bills dominated the no-contest with their no-huddle offense. And their no-respect defense stuffed Kansas City's plodding no-threat rushing attack, leaving DeBerg and backup Mark Vlasic helpless.

It may get even uglier - yes, that is still possible - before it gets any prettier for the winless New York Giants. The 0-3 Giants play the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. today at Arrowhead Stadium, and it doesn't look like the opponent or circumstance could be much worse for Big Blue. Quarterback Eli Manning, who was sacked seven times last week, will be facing a defense that has an NFL-leading 15 sacks under new defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. New York has given up 11 sacks so far this season, second-worst in the league.

Sometimes, our expectations zig and the NFL zags. Like a LeSean McCoy cutback, the league has taken some surprising turns in the first five weeks, with San Francisco stumbling (then regaining its footing), Atlanta doing a face plant, and Andrew Luck-led Indianapolis seamlessly transitioning from Chuckstrong — last season's mantra in honor of ill Coach Chuck Pagano — to Luckstrong. Because it's Week 6, here are six eyebrow-raising developments so far: Hello, Cleveland When they traded running back Trent Richardson and gave the starting quarterback job to Brian Hoyer, the Browns looked like they were waving the white flag.

Two years ago it looked as if Chris Dwyer might be standing on a major league mound by this time.. Kansas City's fourth-round pick in 2009 out of Clemson was ranked among baseball's top 100 minor league prospects as a 22-year-old after his first full season, when he was 8-4 with a 3.00 ERA between Single-A Wilmington and Double-A Northwest Arkansas and averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings. The next two seasons, however, were disasters for the left-hander — ERAs of 5.60 at Double-A in 2011 and 5.89 at Northwest Arkansas and Omaha last season, WHIPs (walks/hits per innings pitch)

Tyrann Mathieu was a third-round gamble. Nobody wanted Vontaze Burfict. Josh McCown's career as a journeyman NFL quarterback was ostensibly over, and he was coaching high school football in North Carolina. And Danny Woodhead? He's been overlooked forever. They are the unlikely reliables, under-the-radar overachievers who are helping keep playoff dreams alive for their teams. The household names will always be key, but for clubs that reach the postseason, it's often the unexpected players who bubble to the surface with major contributions.

Kendrick Lewis sees the pattern, and really, of course he does. He is the Chiefs' starting free safety and surveys the field 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage. "It's obvious, man," Lewis said after the Chiefs' 41-38 loss to San Diego on Sunday. "You're a man-to-man team, you (beat that with) crossing routes, out routes, pick routes. (San Diego) took whatever they could take from the Denver game and they executed against us. " Much as Denver quarterback Peyton Manning did the week before, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers carved up the Chiefs' defense for 392 yards and three touchdowns, with a heaping helping of quick-hitting short and intermediate passes.

Herman Edwards, 59, was involved in one of the most famous plays in Eagles and NFL history, the 1978 "Miracle at the Meadowlands" when he recovered a fumble against the Giants and ran it into the end zone with just a few seconds left. He later became head coach of the Jets and Chiefs and is currently a studio analyst for ESPN. Last week, Edwards was the keynote speaker at the 16 t h annual Lehigh Valley Chapter of Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and LifePath Thanksgiving Awards Luncheon.

By Dennis Georgatos, The Sports Xchange DENVER - Rookie running back Montee Ball scored two touchdowns, helping the Denver Broncos hand the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season, 27-17 Sunday night in a matchup between two of the best teams in the league. Peyton Manning, playing with a protective wrap around his sore right ankle and wearing gloves on his hands to ward off the cold, threw his 34th touchdown pass of the season as Denver (9-1) moved into a tie atop the AFC West with Kansas City (9-1)

The Kansas City Chiefs deserve a lot of credit for getting off to a 9-0 start after finishing last season with an NFL-worst record of 2-14. However, they did not invent the U-turn. Although it isn't a common occurrence, several teams have made dramatic one-season turnarounds, sometimes coming out of nowhere to stun the pro football world. Indianapolis did that last season with then-rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, going from 2-14 in 2011 to 11-5 and a playoff berth. The 2008 Miami Dolphins went 11-5, a year after a 1-5 disaster.

Kansas City hasn't lost. Jacksonville and Tampa Bay haven't won. Everybody else in the NFL has done a little of both. Heading into the midway point of the regular season, 19 of 32 teams are at .500 or below. That doesn't necessarily spell curtains for them, though. Since 2000, 32 teams have made the playoffs even though they didn't have a winning record at this point. At least one team has done that in each of the past 12 years. So the season is still wide open, and, as far as the playoff picture is concerned, there's a lot more clarity than parity.

Clarence E. Winzer, 66, of 9215 Everett St., Kansas City, Kan., died Friday in Providence Health Center, Kansas City. He was a limousine driver for MACS Livery Service, Kansas City, for about 10 years before retiring. Born in Allentown, he was a son of the late Paul Jr. and Florence (Wood) Winzer. He was a member of Westside Church of Christ, Kansas City. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. Survivors: Son, Ken of Kansas City; brother, Bertram of Macungie; sister, Bertha Charles of Allentown; stepson, Darrell of Kansas City, and stepdaughters, Debbie Barsick of Kansas City and Vickie Ussery of Parkville, Mo. Services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Highland Park Funeral Home, Kansas City.

Frank Mullner, 60, of 10638 Indiana, Kansas City, Mo., died Friday in Truman Medical Center, Kansas City. He was the husband of Gloria O. (Oswald) Mullner. He was a technical supervisor for AT&T Technology, Kansas City, since 1960. Born in Coplay, he was a son of the late Joseph and Julia (Jagerhofer) Mullner. He was a member of Coronation of Our Lady Catholic Church, Kansas City. Mullner was a Marine veteran of World War II. Surviving with his widow are a daughter Barbara, wife of Don Ernst of Kansas City; two brothers, Joseph of Allentown and Louis of Catasauqua; four sisters, Helen of Catasauqua, Mrs. Mary Takacs of Northampton, and Mrs. Rose Tagnoli and Mrs. Hilda Ritchie, both of Allentown, and two grandchildren.

Talk about a quarterback scramble. Through the first seven weeks of the NFL season, nine teams have started at least two quarterbacks - Minnesota has started three - and this weekend you'll be able to add Chicago and St. Louis to that list. Come Sunday, 45 different players will have started at quarterback for the 32 teams, among them a promoted practice-squad player, Buffalo's Thad Lewis, and one who has made starts for two different teams this season, the Vikings' Josh Freeman, formerly of Tampa Bay. Through seven games last year, just three teams had started multiple quarterbacks - Arizona, Kansas City and Tennessee - and all of them went on to have losing seasons.

Sometimes, our expectations zig and the NFL zags. Like a LeSean McCoy cutback, the league has taken some surprising turns in the first five weeks, with San Francisco stumbling (then regaining its footing), Atlanta doing a face plant, and Andrew Luck-led Indianapolis seamlessly transitioning from Chuckstrong — last season's mantra in honor of ill Coach Chuck Pagano — to Luckstrong. Because it's Week 6, here are six eyebrow-raising developments so far: Hello, Cleveland When they traded running back Trent Richardson and gave the starting quarterback job to Brian Hoyer, the Browns looked like they were waving the white flag.